Above and Beyond
by fire mystic
Summary: Rufus finds comfort in the last person he expects it from and figures a few things out along the way. RenoxRufus, rated M for explicit content yaoi and language.


_Pairing: RenoxRufus_

_Rated: M_

_Warnings: Mature content, language, explicit sex, yaoi_

_Reno has been tapdancing around in my head to the point of driving me insane. The damned Turk has effectively tied up and gagged Genesis and Tifa and refused to release them until he got his way. This is the result._

_I have never used "yo" before when dealing with Reno. I thought I never would, but after reading it done well, I thought I would try. Here's to hoping I got it right and didn't overdo it!_

_Enjoy._

_fire mystic_

_(Edited to correct page breaks. Sorry about that! It will probably make more sense now!)_

Above and Beyond

Discomfort. A bit of pain, but mostly discomfort. And all these annoying bandages.

Fortunately, the private doctor that Tseng brought to him said the burns would heal. The pain was a good sign; it meant the burns hadn't killed the nerve endings. Who would have thought? The cure materia helped, but not entirely, and there might be a bit of scarring, but it wouldn't be as bad as the burns led Rufus to believe they would be, and with a bit of rest and good care, he would be back on his feet in no time.

In seclusion, as yet unprepared to let the world know that Rufus Shinra, the remains of an empire that had practically destroyed the planet, was still alive, he was alone with the exception of the company of his last four Turks.

Alone. It had never been a word that frightened Rufus Shinra. He had never had occasion to think it would ever happen to him. Hell, he had been alone all his life, even when surrounded by people. And money always took care of anything more than that.

Now money wasn't taking care of anything. He had been lucky Tseng had been able to find a doctor he could trust to keep his mouth shut, and even that had been touchy. There was certainly no one who could be trusted with his care; no one except his Turks.

He was surprised; he expected Tseng to be the one to step up and take care of him, but Tseng seemed too busy being official. Not that Rufus didn't care or appreciate it; Tseng was, after all, taking the time to make sure that there would still be something of an empire left for Rufus to control upon his eventual return. Rufus understood the need for it, but could not help feeling like Tseng's first priority should be Rufus' care.

As for Elena, Rufus couldn't stand her, and, for the life of him, couldn't even understand how she had survived Turk training. That taken into consideration, it never occurred to him to ask her for help, nor did she seem inclined to assist, so he allowed her to remain mostly at Tseng's side. Speaking of which, as far as that was concerned, Rufus spent a great deal of time during his convalescence wondering when Tseng was going to wake up and acknowledge the young woman's interest. What the fuck was wrong with him, anyway?

Rude? Well, Rude was Rude. But somehow more silent than usual. In fact, he looked downright uncomfortable when he was in Rufus' presence. He was a good Turk, but he was obviously not up to personal care-taking.

As for Reno; Rufus hadn't expected a thing from the deviant redhead. Which was why, when Rufus started to wonder who was going to help him, he was a bit shocked when Reno appeared at his side without so much as an order, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to do.

And he did it well, cleaning the burns, applying the medicinal cream to them, changing the few bandages that were needed, making sure Rufus was comfortable.

This was not the Reno he knew.

* * *

Pain. Complete and totally debilitating pain.

When the geostigma struck, Rufus wasn't too put off. He could deal with it, just like he had dealt with healing from the fire.

What he hadn't counted on was this pain. Forget the discomfort and inconvenience of the few wounds and bandages the fire had left him with. This took his breath away, brought him to his knees in agony, stripped him of his pride, clawed at the very fabric of his being until there was nothing left but a heap of whimpering, discolored flesh waiting for the next attack to draw yet more agony from his body.

And cure materia had no effect whatsoever. Nothing did.

Pity; that's what he saw in the eyes of his Turks. Fuck them. He didn't need or want their pity. The more he saw of it, the angrier he got, until he ordered them all out of his sight.

All, except for Reno.

There was no pity in Reno's eyes. He had returned to Rufus' bedside when the geostigma had appeared, and took the responsibility of the around the clock vigilance, broken only by the times he knew Rufus had finally fallen asleep, at which time, he would adjourn to wherever it was he was staying in the apartment to get his own rest.

When Rufus woke, Reno was there.

When Rufus' legs first buckled from the pain, it was Reno who waited out the spell with him and then wrapped deceptively strong hands and arms around Rufus' body to lift him and lever him into a chair. It was Reno who removed the bandages and helped him bath before applying fresh bandages. It was Reno who brought him food and insisted he eat, insisted he keep his strength up. It was Reno who let him grip his hand or arm when the pain tightened all of his muscles; Reno who bore that pain with him.

Reno did this all casually, as casually as he cleaned his gun, as casually as he walked down the street, as casually as he lounged about. There was no complaint, no impatience, no disgust. And no pity; that's what Rufus appreciated most.

Rufus found that, contrary to his character, he was trying to make things easier for Reno. While he was obnoxiously demanding on the best of days, illness always managed to bring the very worst in him out. Not to say that he didn't give Reno a hard time. There had been a few times where he thought Reno was on his way out the door for the last time; but Reno would inevitably return, seemingly no worse for wear. He handled most of Rufus' bitchiness with that smug, irritating smile of his, which managed to piss Rufus off enormously. Was he laughing at him? Humoring him? Mocking him? Or just being Reno? He couldn't tell, but the reaction was a bit out of character, to say the least, far too docile for this Turk.

His Turk.

As the pain got worse with time, a persistent, nagging panic set into Rufus' mind; a panic that it would become too much for Reno. How could he expect such loyalty? Yet, when he woke from the nightmares, Reno was there, soothing him back into sleep. When he woke in pain, Reno would gently massage and stretch the muscles, giving what small amount of relief he could.

Still, as faithful as Reno was, no one was more surprised than Rufus the night he woke to find Reno sleeping on the bed beside him. He was curled up on his side, his back to Rufus. Long legs were pulled up into fetal position, and his arms were wrapped around his body, one circling up over his waist, the other wrapped down over his shoulder.

Rufus' first thought would have been complete, utter outrage. He would have been angry at the presumptuousness of it. He would have been insulted beyond words that anyone had dared to share his bed, his apartment even, without his consent. And he would have summarily kicked the little bastard out of his bed, out of his apartment, and possibly out of the Turks.

But that was before the fire, before the geostigma.

Now his first thought, after the initial shock of finding him there, was that Reno was lying on top of the blankets, and that the throw he had been using had fallen aside, leaving him exposed to the chill of the room.

In as unselfish a gesture as he had ever made, ignoring the pain it caused him, Rufus sat up gingerly, stifling the gasp the movement caused, and delicately replaced the blanket over the man next to him. Reclining back into his own pillows again with a sigh, he fell back to sleep while wondering over Reno's strange behavior.

It became a habit, Reno sleeping on the bed. A habit that Reno was unaware had come to Rufus' attention. Rufus noticed that by the time he woke naturally in the morning, Reno was up and about, the blanket he used every night meticulously folded over the back of the chair in the corner of the room. Rufus couldn't help but wonder if Reno would admit to it, and finally came up with a way to find out, asking if Reno if his sleeping arrangements were comfortable. Reno eyed him warily for a moment, but Rufus managed to master his features as to give nothing away, and Reno had finally smiled, a notably genuine smile, and gave a slight nod of his head.

"Sure Boss. Your couch is as comfortable as they come, yo. No worries there."

Reno didn't want him to know. Rufus accepted his answer and let it go.

The pain ripped through him, waking him with a breathless scream that took only a moment to fully form. Warm hands massaged against his skin, seeking the source of the agony and trying to massage it away as a strong, lean body kept him pressed to the bed, preventing him from throwing himself to the floor and causing further injury. Fire ripped through his body as if it would melt the bones within, and finally threw him past his breaking point into blissful unconsciousness.

When he woke, it was to comfort that was unfamiliar and foreign to him. He was warm; warmer than he'd been in a very long time, and comfortable. His body practically sighed with contentment at this unknown feeling, nestling further into that source of heat. And arms that he had become so familiar with in the past months wrapped tighter, pulling him closer and holding him securely in that warmth.

Rufus opened his eyes, letting them adjust in the dim light. He was curled into Reno's body, his face pressed to his chest, resting just below his chin, his cheek resting on the upper swell of a slim arm. Reno had that arm wrapped securely around his back where it met the other arm, draped over his body from the other side. He shifted slightly and found Reno's leg draped over his upper thigh, thus locking them completely together.

Reno stirred above him, flexing his arms, one hand smoothing down his back as he rocked into him slightly.

"Shhh. . I's all right. I got you."

Had Rufus heard that right? If he had, he wasn't sure he believed his ears. This man, who Rufus had witnessed committing a wide variety of sins, was soothing him?

He waited, forcing his body to relax, grateful for the moment of clarity in which he could see past his own pain, his own needs. He waited until he felt Reno's arms slacken, then leaned back and tilted his head, hoping to catch a glimpse of this unknown side of the man who was caring for him.

His hair was tousled, but when hadn't in been? His bangs fell into his eyes, and Rufus realized that the wonderful length of hair that had always been restrained was free, the strands falling haphazardly over Reno's shoulder and arm. His chin was tilted down. His face must have been pressed into Rufus' hair, and his features were…Innocent and young. Soft. Oh, Gaia. It was an expression Rufus would have never thought to see on this man. His lips were slightly parted and his oh-so-long lashes lay gently against the delicate structure of his cheekbones, just above the tattoos that matched the color of his hair.

Rufus stared, wondering how he had never seen the beauty in this man before, and as he stared, green eyes opened. Rufus was enraptured, completely unaware of being caught in this position. He was aware of those lips closing that slight distance to press together as he watched those eyes focus, and then fill with awareness. The man who had been sleeping a moment ago was gone, and in his place was a man who had been caught in a moment of vulnerability. Reno moved slowly, like an animal that has been spotted by a predator and is trying to escape without drawing further attention to itself. His leg shifted off of Rufus, his arm retracted to rub over his face and he began to pull back.

Panic flashed through Rufus, followed by quick resolve, and he tightened his arm around Reno, fisting his hand in the back of Reno's shirt. Reno stilled at his action, looking down at him, his expression as much warning as question. Rufus met that expression without flinching and did something he had hardly ever thought to do in his previous life. Instead of a command, he issued a request.

"Stay?"

And he did. A thoughtful moment, a single nod of his head, and he once again wrapped Rufus in the warmth and strength of his body.

Rufus hadn't slept that well since the geostigma. Since the fire. Since he couldn't remember when.

Rufus was not the man he knew himself to be.

* * *

Reno was standing there, so straight, so obedient; a man he knew was a killer, yet at the moment looked almost vulnerable.

And once again, he was a man Rufus had never met before.

This was not the cocky, rebellious pain in the ass Rufus had been used to dealing with. This was not the man who would more than likely tell you to go fuck yourself as you gave the order, but that you knew you could rely on to carry that order through, no matter how dirty the job. This was not the man who had pushed the button that had brought the plate down.

This was also not the man Rufus had come to recognize over the past few months. This was not the man who had cared for him, held him as slept, and spoke soft words to ease the pain away. Yes, something had been changing then, too, but this wasn't even part of that.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Rufus tried not to make his observations obvious. He refused to look at Reno any longer than he looked at the other Turks. Hell, he didn't want to see Reno like this. It looked like the fool was going to drop down on the ground and kiss Rufus' boots. The Reno he knew would have never even considered it. Well, unless it was on a dare that involved a considerable amount of money. Rufus held back the chuckle at the thought of what the Turk would do on a dare, or for the right price.

So what was with this over-eager-to-please stranger standing in front of him, looking as official as Tseng and as brown-nosing as Elena?

Whatever it was, it wasn't something that he expected and he was having a hard time with it.

He stood up from the wheelchair, pulling the bandages off, watching the dark smudges that had marred his body melt away in the falling rain. As if it had always been that easy; just a bit of rain to clean away the sin. Not that he wasn't happy about it. Oh, no. He was ecstatic. He had now been given not one, but two reprieves, first from that blasted inferno, and now from the geostigma. He was determined not to waste those chances, and taking care of some personal business with Reno had been on the top of his list, but now he wasn't so sure that he had read into the events of the past few months correctly.

He set a brisk pace, relishing in being able to move without pain, glorying in the fact that he could already feel his strength returning. The past few days had been torture as he had forced his body to go beyond its limit to deal with the Remnants. He felt the renewed energy of life rushing through him, and he was eager to get the gears of Shinra in motion again.

Tseng had made sure his position was secure, and after the events of the past few hours, he was sure word of his survival would spread quickly; no need to hide anymore. He had plans to set in motion, plans that would include cleaning up this city. Whatever came after that would be directly effected by the reconstruction of the city and the perception people had of the 'new' Shinra Company.

He walked away, his destination the new office that Tseng had secured for him, leaving his Turks in his wake to follow.

Reminding himself that once he had made sure everything was in order, initial directives were given, and assignments delegated, he had personal business to follow up with.

* * *

It had been two weeks and three days. Time in which he had seen neither hide nor hair of the Turk he so desperately wanted to talk to. No. He needed to talk to him. He needed to find out about this man who had more facets than an expertly crafted diamond. He needed to find out if all the attention Reno had paid him was more than simple duty. And Reno wasn't to be found anywhere.

He was tempted to kill Tseng. He fluctuated between the ideas that it would serve the bastard right if he put a bullet in his head and that it wasn't really Tseng's fault that Rufus so desperately needed to talk to Reno. How could Tseng know? And in fact, his granting Reno some time off had been a very thoughtful thing, and something Rufus was even grateful for. Reno more than deserved it, as Tseng pointed out when the paperwork crossed Rufus' desk, and Rufus couldn't argue with that. He just hadn't expected the Turk to disappear as quickly as he had. Tseng had told him that day, after the healing as Rufus was walking away, and Reno hadn't shown his face since.

Rufus slammed his hand flat down on the surface of his desk. This was intolerable. Reno had returned to work three days ago, and still Rufus couldn't seem to find the ever elusive man. He couldn't make a scene of this. His pride wouldn't stand for it, and he dared not find out how Reno would respond to it. So he waited, knowing that at some point, his opportunity would come.

When he finally ran into Reno, the shock of the encounter kept him from saying a word to the man. Back was the wise-ass. Back was the mischievous twinkle in his eye. Back was the smirk. Back was the devil-may-care attitude. It was as if nothing had changed. Except that when he finally caught Reno's eye, something shifted in their depths, something that dimmed the glint in them and, so briefly but so noticeably, pinched the corners of his mouth so his ever present smile almost became a frown. He recovered quickly enough; no one else had noticed. But Rufus had.

Tseng was surprised to find him waiting in his office the first thing the morning after his encounter with Reno.

"Have you noticed anything strange about Reno, Tseng?"

Eyebrows raised, Tseng had studied him thoughtfully, then shook his head.

"No. Why? Has something happened."

Rufus was at a loss. He hadn't thought past this point. He had been hoping that Tseng might know something, anything. How was he going to proceed without giving anything away?

"It was just a feeling I had. Are you…friends..with him, Tseng?"

"Friends?" Tseng shrugged slightly. "I am friendly with him to a point, but, no, we are not exactly friends."

"Does he ever confide in you?"

Tseng was now on alert, and Rufus scrambled to cover his tracks.

"I have reason to doubt his loyalty," he lied. "Some information has come across my desk…"

"Sir." Tseng was leaning slightly towards him, disbelief clearly evident. "You, of all people, should know that Reno's loyalties are without question. We all know that he can be a bit rebellious, but he gets the job done, and after his dedication to you over the past few months, I would think there would be no question. Whatever you have heard, it's a lie, Rufus. And you know it."

Rufus nodded, refusing to meet Tseng's gaze. And then realized there was an open chance here for him.

"I agree with you Tseng, of course. But I would feel better if I could speak with him myself. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Would you prefer I speak with him?"

"No. I think I should do this myself."

Tseng sighed, nodding. "I'm not sure, but here," he jotted something down on a piece of paper, "are the names of a couple of places he might hang out. Would you like me to send someone with you?"

Rufus glanced over the paper. "No. That won't be necessary, Tseng. Thank you."

* * *

He entered the second place on the list in the hopes that it wouldn't be as bad as the last. The first hole in the wall had made the hackles rise on his neck. It was the kind of place where one could expect to get knifed in the corner just for the hell of it. This one, he noted, was slightly better, a bit bigger, brighter, and cheerier; and a whole lot more crowded. He scanned the room through a haze of smoke, edging his way through and around the crowd, and like a magnet, unruly red hair drew his immediate attention across the room.

Reno was sitting at a table, one hand curled around a glass on the table while the other nursed a cigarette at his lips. His left leg was propped up on the edge of the table, while his right foot rested on the floor, the knee swaying back and forth in a lazy tempo. He looked up as Rufus' approached, a sarcastic smile settling on his lips.

"What do we have here, yo?" He rolled his head to the person sitting at the table next to and slightly behind him. "Looks like the Boss Man's lookin' to play. Wha's up Rufus? You feel like slumming it tonight?" Back and forth, his knee swayed.

Rufus hadn't known what to expect. This wasn't it. He pushed his surprise behind a mask of straightforward business, ignoring the leering man sitting behind Reno.

"I need to speak with you, Reno."

"Yeah, well in case you haven't noticed, Boss, I'm off duty." Back and forth.

Was that what it had been? Is that how Reno looked at it all; his duty to take care of Rufus? It made Rufus' heart clench that it might be true. In any case, he was determined to find out.

"This can't wait. Can we step outside?"

Reno raised the cigarette to his lips and took a slow drag, letting the smoke set for a moment before exhaling.

"Don't think so, Boss. I'm off the clock till morning." Back and forth. Rufus had to force himself not to look at that knee, not to be mesmerized by the movement. Not to be drawn to look at other things that knee led to.

Fucking hell. Rufus fisted his hands, the bite of his perfectly manicured nails giving him a bit of his focus back. The infuriating rebel of a Turk was back in full force, apparently, and was not going to make things easy.

"Are you drunk, Reno?"

Back and forth. He wanted to slap that smile off his face.

"Not yet. But it's still early, yo."

Good. Rufus took a bit of satisfaction in the fact that Reno was not going to like his next words.

"Then consider yourself back on duty. You have one hour to report to my office." The knee stopped moving. Finally. He very nearly cheered at the shocked expression. "One hour, Reno, or you won't have a job come morning."

He turned on his heel and purposefully strode from the room, refusing to acknowledge Reno's response as a glass crashed and shattered across the floor behind him.

* * *

He avoided his office until a few minutes before the meeting he had forced on his subordinate. He refused to be in that office for over fifty minutes, pacing and letting his nerves get the better of him. He knew that Reno wouldn't be early. Hell, he wondered if Reno wouldn't defy him altogether and not show up. No. He didn't want to think of that possibility; didn't want to contemplate Reno challenging him like that.

When the hour arrived, the building remained silent. Rufus watched the clock. Five minutes passed. Still silent. Then he watched the door that he had left open. Then the clock. Ten minutes passed. A knot developed in his gut and he turned away from both the clock and the door, slumping down in his chair, resting his temples in the tips of his fingers.

The door slammed shut behind him. He barely managed to control the startled reaction of his body, the gasp that was almost more.

"What the fuck, Rufus?"

Oh, was he pissed.

Rufus took a deep breath before turning to face the rage in his Turk.

"I told you. I need to speak with you."

"And I told you. I'm off till morning. Why the fuck'd you drag me in?"

Rufus remembered a time when that last would have been said in a petulant whine. Tonight it was simply full of anger, and Rufus' temper was quickly rising to meet it.

"Why did you do it?" He blurted out.

Reno took a step back, his anger quickly fading to confusion.

"Do what?"

"You know what."

"Hell I do."

So much for trying to not say it outright. So much for this being easy.

"Why did you take care of me, Reno?"

The expression was priceless. His devilish Turk looked like someone had slapped him, and he actually took a step back. His mouth opened and nothing came out. He threw his hands up in the air and tried again.

"Because that's what you needed." The venomous anger had left his voice.

Rufus stared at him. That's what he needed? What the fuck did that mean?

"That's it? When did you ever care about what I needed?"

Reno visibly flinched, turning his head away. "That's my job. Isn't it?"

"Your job? Is that how you looked at it? The other Turks didn't seem to think of it as their job. Perhaps because they know I pay you to act, not to care."

Another step back.

"What are you so pissed about, yo? You needed someone to take care of you and I did it. I figured you'd be grateful, fucking prick. Next time, you take care of yourself."

There was that panic again, welling up inside Rufus' chest, taking that knot that had formed in his gut earlier and viciously twisting it. His attempt at bullying his Turk into admitting to more than just doing his job hadn't worked, and now Reno was turning around, opening the door. Leaving.

'My Turk' he thought. 'Mine'. Could it be that Reno didn't realize it yet?

"Was sleeping in my bed part of you doing your job?"

Reno froze in the doorway, back straightening, stiffening.

"I don't remember 'holding the boss while he sleeps' being listed in the Turk training manual."

Reno turned back to him.

"That's what this is about?" He stalked across the room to hover over Rufus' desk, hands pressed against the surface as he leaned in.

"I'm sorry if I upset your delicate sensibilities, Boss. It seemed to be okay with you at the time, but since you recovered you've made it abundantly clear that you were no longer in need of that service."

Ah, and here was the intelligent Reno, the Reno that surprised you with his unexpected insight and his occasional ability to express himself succinctly.

And Rufus was blown away by Reno's observation.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Snorting, Reno stepped away from the desk.

"You don't even remember. You stood up out of that chair and walked away, Boss Man. Walked away without so much as a thank you and didn't look back." Rufus stood and circled the desk but Reno turned away again. "I thought…well it doesn't matter what I thought."

His anger drained out of him in a flood. 'Oh Gaia. How did it come to this? What have I done?' Rufus thought. Reno looked…wounded. His fault. It wasn't Reno that had turned him away. He was the one that had turned. And now he was desperate to fix it.

"No. It matters. Tell me what you thought."

Rufus wasn't sure he was going to answer him. Reno appeared to be hovering on the brink of simply walking out the door, and Rufus was sure that walking out would have been easier than baring this truth. He wasn't going to push it. He would wait for Reno to make that decision.

" I thought…"

'Yes. That's it. Tell me. Give me something that will help me fix this.'

"I thought, for at least those days, that you might care. I thought I could make you care."

He wrapped his hand around Reno's arm, startling him. It was a hand, he reminded himself, which was now strong again. Yes, Gaia had healed him, but he might not have survived long enough for that healing if not for this Turk. His Turk. He used that strength to turn Reno towards him. Taking a deep breath to bolster his courage, he stepped into Reno and took a chance.

Reaching up, he cupped Reno's face in his hands, brushing his thumbs across the tattoos that highlighted his face. It was all the warning he was going to give him.

"But I do care, Reno."

If Reno wanted to pull away, now was the time to do it, before he made a perfect ass of himself. But Reno didn't pull away, and when Rufus' mouth met his, there was only slight hesitation before Reno responded, lips softening and mouth gasping open slightly, head dipping to allow better access. Rufus didn't let the chance pass him by; there had been too much of that. His hands slid up into hair that was luxuriously thick and soft, his fingers tangling in that warmth and using it to draw Reno's mouth closer even as he stepped further into Reno's body.

He had taken his chance, daring to hope he could fix this mess he had caused; now he asked for confirmation; that he hadn't misunderstood, that Reno's caring for him wasn't just part of his job; that this was at least part of the caring that Reno had been hoping from him. He parted his lips, working his mouth against Reno's in gentle invitation. And Reno sank into that invitation with a deep purr that seemed to rise up out of his chest. Mouth opening, he barely brushed his tongue against the most tender part of Rufus' bottom lip, then again, drawing him out, and Rufus couldn't stop himself, didn't want to stop himself, from meeting him half way for an exquisite first taste, then sliding into Reno's mouth, into the taste of bourbon, tobacco, and something spicy and sweet; Reno.

Reno's hand came up, cupping the back of Rufus' head as his other arm wrapped around to close the small distance that still separated them. If there had been doubt before, there was none now; their bodies clearly betrayed their desire for one another, and as Reno's erection found friction against Rufus' hip, he gasped and pulled away from the kiss, resting his forehead against Rufus', and held him there as he ground against him, almost unable to breathe as the pleasure coursed through him. Rufus dropped his hands down to Reno's hips, guiding him into a steady rhythm, meeting that rhythm and pressing his hip in for added pressure. Sliding his cheek against Reno's, he pulled the earring he found into his mouth, rolling it with his tongue, refusing to release it until he got a soft gasp. Reno's hips had stilled, but his chest was heaving as if he had run for miles.

"I want to feel you, Reno." Rufus ran his hand down between their bodies to cup the hardness he found there. A sharp breath against his cheek gave Rufus his answer without the need for words. He pulled back just enough to reach between them, letting his fingers find the button and zipper on their own as he took in the expression on Reno's face. His lips were parted slightly, letting the air out in small puffs that were coming faster than even a few seconds ago. His eyes were closed, but there was no innocence in this expression. There was lust. Need. A tightening in the features that bordered on pain as Rufus' fingers found his cock and wrapped securely around it.

Reno's eyes drifted open, locking on Rufus'. The emotion reflected in them was almost too much, but Rufus took it all in because it was all for him, and he would not turn away from this man again. Among those emotions was a questioning apprehension that pulled at heartstrings he hadn't known he had.

Reno's hand on his wrist stilled the intimate caress of his hand.

"If we do this now, I won't give you up Rufus. You should know that now."

Sighing into the soft hair his mouth was pressed to, Rufus knew then that he belonged to this Turk as much as he had claimed Reno his.

"I know." He squeezed his hand around Reno's hard flesh. "I won't give you up, either."

He knew his words had hit home when Reno released his wrist and pumped up into his hand. Rufus slid down Reno's body and pressed his cheek against that hard heat, rubbing it against his face before running his tongue the length of it, and drawing a growl from Reno as he engulfed the tip in his mouth. He took his time, enjoying the new sensation, savoring the musky taste and smell, exploring with his tongue and taking more in before pressing the flat of his tongue against the tip and slowly licking it, giving an extra little swivel to the opening as it leaked fluid for him to capture. Reno's reactions told him everything he needed to know and he used it to build up a rhythm that had Reno pumping into his mouth while holding his head. He pulled away as Reno's breathing became even more erratic, looking up into green eyes glazed over with lust.

"Fuck me."

The focus in those eyes sharpened, and they gleamed with a predatory hunger that sent a charge through Rufus, causing his already painful arousal to pulse strongly.

He reached down and waited for Reno to lift one foot so he could remove first one shoe and then the other, sweeping the slacks that had already fallen away with them. He stood, unbuttoning Reno's shirt and pushing both shirt and jacket off his shoulders to fall to the floor. He stepped back then to admire what he had unwrapped. Reno was just as he had imagined him; lean, wiry, and muscular, albeit with a few more scars and tattoos than he had thought, and his mind greedily filled in all the details that had been lacking previously.

Reno didn't remain still under his gaze for long, reaching to divest Rufus of his own jacket and shirt, nearly violent in his motions, bringing sharp exclamations from Rufus. Then, hands on Rufus' hips, he pushed until Rufus' body met the edge of the desk, and then further, using him to push the few obstacles out of the way as Reno sat him fully on the desk. Nails raking up over his ribs, then back to his belt, Rufus fell back against the polished surface as Reno hastily bit and licked his way down to meet his hands. A particularly hard bite to his lower belly raised his hips, and the pants were stripped away in a frenzy.

Slim hands wrapped around his knees, lifting them so his feet were resting on the edge of the desk, knees bent and spread. He looked up at Reno, towering over him, full erection pulsing against his belly, stomach drawn tight, chest heaving, and face full of raw emotion and hunger, as he pulled the shoes from Rufus' feet and let the pants that had curled up at his ankles drop, forgotten, to the floor.

Rufus nearly exploded as Reno's attention turned fully to him, his eyes sweeping over his body, memorizing. It was a body he had seen many times, always damaged and broken before, but now it was solid and healthy once more. A few scars remained, yes, but nothing that Rufus would have hidden, not from this man. Reno graced those scars with due attention, fingers lightly tracing over them with as much reverence as for the surrounding unblemished skin, but his hands were full of impatience, tight with tension, and it was mere seconds before one gripped the satin length of his cock in a tense squeeze before joining the other to wrap around his thighs, gripping tightly, grounding him to the desk. Locking eyes with Rufus, he touched his lips to the inside of his knee and, opening his mouth wide, ran his teeth sharply across the tender skin of his thigh in a line from knee to groin, taking a moment to nuzzle and suck the soft skin where thigh joined body, roll his tongue over a tightening sac, and then grazing his teeth up the shaft. Rufus threw his head back; eyes clenched closed, hips bucking against the restraining arms, his world threatening to shatter within the confines of his mind. Lashing out, wrapping fingers in Reno's hair, he pulled that wicked mouth away from him.

"Fuck Reno. Don't play with me. Fuck me."

A deliciously evil smile curled swollen lips.

"But I like to play, Boss Man."

Giving a sharp tug, Rufus jerked him closer till he could feel Reno's cock pressing into his thigh.

"You can play later."

Green eyes darkened, pupils dilating, air puffing out across his chest and chin. Rufus was aware of a hand moving from his hip, and he raised his head to watch as Reno clutched his own erection, guiding it to circle the shimmering, dripping tip around the small opening, while the other hand reached to gather and lift the sacs out of his way so he could watch his own ministrations. In small, easy grinding motions, Reno slowly worked his cock, until finally, with a small push, he slipped inside.

Rufus' head thumped back again at the invasion. He had expected pain. That's what he had been led to believe, but he figured a bit of pain for this pleasure would be nothing compared to pain he had already endured. But there was no pain. The slow teasing of Reno's cock had left him hardly able to restrain himself from taking control and forcing the penetration himself, and when Reno finally pushed inside, it was a profound relief even as it further sparked the intense need within for this man to take him, possess him, and do whatever was needed to sooth this sweet, aching tension within him that increased with every tiny thrust, creating pleasure that threatened to burst through the pores of his skin.

The thrusts became stronger and deeper, Reno now holding Rufus to keep him from sliding away on the desk, one hand at his hip, one hand on his shoulder. Rufus fought for breath as strong gasps were expelled from his lungs at each full impact, his body arching in a desperate attempt to get closer and gain more pleasure even while seeking relief. Reno, intense in a way Rufus had never experienced, was searching his eyes, his face, and dropped his gaze to the cock that remained neglected between them. Groaning at the sight of the stiff, weeping flesh, Reno words were harsh, punctuated by the forceful motion of his body.

"Touch yourself."

Rufus didn't question, didn't argue. His Turk was now giving the orders, was now in control. Wrapping his hand around his pulsing cock, he let Reno's rhythm thrust the burning flesh up into his palm. He caught a glint of metal, and his eyes were drawn to the small silver piercing on Reno's belly, a tiny decoration among all those hard, flat muscles that were bunching so firmly beneath smooth, satin skin, and on impulse, he pushed the head of his cock up to slide along that skin, wetting it, slicking it, smoothing the friction with each stroke. He became aware of a whimpering sound deep in his throat as Reno rode him harder, frantically, building the pressure to the breaking point, and he released a startled cry as hot fluid gushed from him to cover Reno's stomach, eliciting a deep growl from within Reno's chest as his cock swelled larger, and with a final deep thrust, pulsed violently within Rufus' body.

Long moments pass as the two men fought for breath, Rufus slack against the desk, Reno leaning on him for support, head resting against Rufus' sternum, unruly silken red hair spread across his chest. Reno's voice was husky, soft and lazy from where he rested.

"Did you mean it?"

"Did I mean what?"

"That I can play later."

Rufus rolled his head from side to side. "Of course I meant it. Play. Anything you want."

"You won't give me up?"

"I won't give you up."

A quiet, contented sigh brushes out over Rufus' belly.

"Me either."

Languidly raising one hand to bury in that hair, holding close a man he knew so well yet didn't know at all, a smile spread across Rufus' face. Alone was no longer a word that he needed to worry over. His Turk had made sure of that; why had it taken him so long to get the message?


End file.
